Bar hanger for outlet boxes, etc



April 15,` 1930. M. M. CLAYTON 1,754,849

BAR HANGER FOR OUTLET BOXES, ETC

Filed March 25, 1925 Patented Apr. 15, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MARTIN M. CLAYTON, OF BEAVER, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR T NATIONAL METAL MOLDING COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA BAR HANGER FOR OUTLET BOXES, ETC.

Application led March 23, 1925. Serial No. 17,538.

The invention relates to so-called bar hangers for outlet boxes and other electrical fittings, such bars being secured at their opposite ends to the joist-s or other parts oi th y, framework or wall oi a building, and carry ing an outlet box or other fitting suitably secured thereto. Heretofore, so far as I am aware, the bar used as a hanger or support has usually been a solid bar, or if hollow,

Q whatever cross-sectional resilience it may have possessed has not been utilizable for securing the box in adjusted position upon the bar, but some specific binding means has been provided for that purpose. It is the object of the present invention to utilize for binding, or assisting in binding, the box and bar tightly together, the resilient quality inherent in a bent or folded strip of metal suoli as steel.

In the accompanying drawings Figure l is a plan view of a longitudinally folded steel strip 1 of length suitable for spanning the space between two joists in a building, having holes at its opposite ends for the pas- C sage of nails or screws for attaching it to such oists, and carrying an outlet box. F igure 2 is a cross-section on the line II-II of Figure l. Figure 3 is a similar view showing a portion of the outlet box supported in c place by the strip l. Figure 4 is a similar View showing one end oir' the strip l nailed to a joist.

Referring to Figures l-4, the strip 1 is folded longitudinally to form the two con- CJ nected leaves 2, 8, projecting from the apex of the fold in diverging lines, so that when subjected to force bringing their edges nearer together, they will be put under an outward tension. Thus I have shown in Figure 3 the bar l passedthrough a loop 4 integrally formed in a wall of an outlet box or other fixture 5, wherein the leaves of the bar are caused to press tightly against the inner face of the loop 4 and on each side of the loop 3 against the outer tace of the box 5, thus binding the combined structure firmly together. The outlet box having the integral loop was not invented by me, but the combination of such a box with the folded bar, as herein shown and described, is a part of the present invention and will be claimed as such. It will be understood, however, that the folded bar may be used to great advantage with any suitable appliance or device for securing the box or fixture thereto.

In Figure 4 there is shown a nail 6 driven through holes 7 in the end of the bar l and into the joist 8, fastening the bar against the face of the joist, and putting the leaves of the bar in tension against the joist and the head of the nail and causing them to act as a spring washer. In the use of a solid bar hanger, when the nail is driven home the head of the nail is often broken, leaving the bar free to loosen away from the joist.

I claim as my intention:

l. A bar hanger for electrical outlet boxes, etc., compri-sing a single metallic strip longitudinally folded to form a pair of resilient leaves projecting from the fold on divergent lines, in combination with means connected to the box engaging said leaves and putting them under compression to cause frictional engagement between the engaging means and the strip.

2. The combination with a bar `comprising a single metallic strip longitudinally folded to form a pair of resilient leaves projecting from the fold on divergent lines, of a metallic electrical fitting having a loop integral therewith engaging said leaves and putting them under compression to cause frictional engagement between the loop and the strip.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set 

